I Don't Want to Wait
by Deb D
Summary: A postfinale fic with a touch of whimsy. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_Scene: The set of Colby's Room. Colby and Sam are acting out the final scene from the season one finale where Joey and Dawson kiss in his room at the final scene._

_**Sam: **I can't take it anymore, Colby. I don't want to wait for my life to be over. I want to know right now. What will it be? _

_**Colby:** You and me. Always. _

_Scene: Joey's apartment. The camera pulls off of the camera over to Joey who turns off the TV after seeing "Executive Producer – Dawson Leery"_

_**Joey:** That was perfect. Absolutely perfect. _

_The camera pans out, and we see Pacey sitting there next to her. She looks over and there is a tear in his eye._

_**Joey:** Are those tears? Are you crying? _

_**Pacey:** Sighs He got me. He got me. _

_**Joey:** Laughs Let's call him. _

_Scene: Dawson's Office. Dawson is sitting at his desk looking over some paperwork, when his assistant walks in carrying a clip board. You can tell it is late and no one else is around._

_**Assistant:** Sighs Well, I'm taking off. You should get out of here, too. You have a meeting first thing in the A.M. _

_**Dawson:** Got it. _

_Telephone rings _

_**Dawson:** No, no, no. Get out of here. _

_**Assistant:** Thanks. _

_Dawson answers the phone_

_**Dawson:** Yeah? _

_**Pacey:** Hey, it's us. _

_**Joey:** It was great! Fantastic! It was so sweet. _

_**Pacey:** You got Joey crying like a baby. _

_**Joey:** Laughs I can't wait till next season. _

_**Dawson:** You'll never guess who I'm meeting tomorrow. _

_**Joey:** Spielberg? _

_**Pacey:** Spielberg? Get out of town! Who made you a big Hollywood player, man? _

_**Joey:** Oh, my god! What are you going to say? What are you going to wear? _

_**Dawson:** I have no idea._

Dawson laughed lightly. "I have no idea," he said again.

He really didn't. Not in the moment anyway. He was tired. It had been a very good day but a part of him had been restless, waiting for the regular Wednesday night call from Joey. Her reaction to the season's finale of The Creek meant a good deal to him.

"What do you mean you have no idea?" Joey's voice came clear and incredulous over the line.

He smiled, imagining her deep brown eyes opening wide in disbelief. After all, the day when he would meet Spielberg had occupied a significant chunk of their movie-night discussions.

"Ah, I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm sure I'll be much more organised in the morning. "Actually," he casually continued, "I've been more worried about what you guys thought of the show." He had thrown in the phrase "you guys" as a courteous acknowledgement of her fledgling relationship with Pacey and the regular feedback that both gave on Wednesday nights. He was touched at Pacey's interest and obvious attempt to maintain their still fragile friendship. What did unsettle him was the thought of Pacey watching and commentating as his personal homage to his history with Joey unfolded. With some naivety Dawson still imagined at times that the show was for his and Joey's eyes only.

"Honestly Dawson, like we said, it was perfect. I can't believe the season has finished already. My Wednesdays are going to be so empty now." The warmth in Joey's voice was evident.

"How about the ending?"

The instant the words left his mouth Dawson regretted them. His mind cast back to his last face to face conversation with Joey where he had earnestly told her that in fiction it didn't matter who ended up with whom. But it did. He couldn't and didn't even want to try to articulate why, but it did.

Joey paused. Pacey had gotten up from the sofa and already had his head in the fridge. His absence from her side made her feel brave enough to give Dawson an answer - an honest one.

"The ending was the most perfect part."

She was a little surprised by his question and even more so by her response. What she did know, deep down, but refused to acknowledge to anyone except occasionally herself, was that The Creek wasn't as fictional as she and Dawson claimed.

She had watched too closely, for too long to miss the sub-text and situations that Dawson had set-up. He had altered the surface of the story considerably over the years but the heart of the show was real and true to their history. The only place it had deviated was tonight in the final episode with Sammy's choice. Joey didn't want to think about what that meant. Not now. Not with Dawson on the other end of her phone and Pacey in her apartment.

"Great."

Joey heard Dawson sigh softly. She heard too the relief in his voice and their mutual desire to change the subject.

"Well big shot, it's getting late here and it sounds as though you have a lot of work to do before tomorrow. I expect a call the instant your Spielberg meeting has finished."

"Actually, you think you could just keep me on the line while I listen in?" she added with her characteristic giggle.

Dawson laughed. She loved the sound. It was deep and warm. Like him.

"I'll see what I can do. I definitely promise to call tomorrow."

He paused.

"Is Pacey still around?"

"Yeah, he's just feeding his face." Joey covered the receiver with one hand.

"Pace! Dawson wants a word before he goes."

She was still a little taken aback with the renewed connection between Dawson and Pacey but she made sure that she never questioned either one about it. She was simply happy that it was there.

With careless ease, Pacey vaulted over the armrest of the sofa and took the receiver from Joey. He allowed himself a moment to chew the last of the hastily crammed in turkey sub before speaking.

"Hey man, everything ok?"

Pacey wondered what Dawson wanted to say. He was still a little disconcerted by The Creek finale and his emotional reaction to it. He had gotten caught up in the episode; the story was a powerful one and the ending perfect. Well, the ending was perfect if you regarded the story solely as a great piece of fiction. Now, in the harsh light of reality, he was trying to avoid dealing with the fact that tonight Sammy had chosen Colby when it had been obvious to him for weeks that Sammy was a pretty accurate Joey and Colby was hands down Dawson. Put those two pieces of information together and was the ending still perfect? Nah, not so much.

"Things couldn't be better. I just wanted to say thanks for your support with the show and everything. It means a lot having my two oldest friends out there."

Pacey grinned.

"Are you kidding? Purely selfish motives my friend. I just knew if I hung around long enough I could claim someone famous as my buddy. I always suspected it would be you."

And he had. For as long as he could remember Dawson was the golden child. To Pacey he was the one loved by all, the one who had it all. Dawson's dreams too had seemed the clearest, the highest and the most possible.

"Ah, there's nothing like friends to keep you humble." Dawson laughed. "I'll call tomorrow with an update."

"You better," Pacey jokingly warned. "Our C-grade celebrity status depends on it."

He winced slightly at his use of the word "our". Pacey generally made a concerted effort with Dawson not to allude to his and Joey's renewed couple status. He still marvelled at the casual ease with which Joey began the regular Wednesday night call to Dawson, "It's us." There was no reason for him to be sensitive of course. It was clear that he was the only one with an issue.

With a somewhat tight smile he hung up the phone.

Pacey had at times alternated between feelings of admiration and anger for his friend. These feelings had only intensified when he and Dawson were in love with the same woman. He admired the way Dawson managed to always be there for Joey and at the same time he was angry at the strength and intangibility of their bond. The bond that continued even when he, Pacey, got the girl. But Dawson wasn't in love with Joey. Not anymore, he reminded himself. He had no reason to feel threatened. So why after every Wednesday night talk with Dawson did he feel uneasy in his stomach? He had an idea that it wasn't just the hurriedly digested turkey sub.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

"Ugh. I'd forgotten how gross Pacey looks when he's stuffing himself."

Jen glanced over at her old friend.

"He's still gorgeous."

Her friend's brows arched in surprise.

"Tell me you're kidding."

Jen smiled.

"Okay. It's not his best angle."

"That's an understatement," her companion retorted.

"Oh Abby..."

"Don't give me that mocking and wise laugh. God, what have they done to you? You used to be fun."

"I like to think I still am. I just grew up and..."

"And what? I never did?"

"Well you never got the chance. I'm sorry," Jen said softly.

Abby waved a hand dismissively.

"Stop it. We both know it wasn't your fault. It was good way to go actually. I'm sure I was the talk of the school and at least I made a beautiful corpse."

Jen laughed and shook her head.

"I had forgotten how you could make me laugh."

"Obviously. You were caught up with that boring group who just droned on and on about the lint in their navels."

Jen rolled her eyes.

"Okay. Some things seem very trivial now that I'm here."

"So," Abby suddenly said. "I can't believe you finally ripped off Dawson's tighty-whiteys. You go girl."

Jen met her friend's impish grin.

"Please tell me you didn't see everything."

"Are you kidding me? There's no way that I could stomach Dawson getting it on," Abby gave a little shudder. "Over here we are spared seeing all the intimate details. We sometimes get a look into the minds of people on earth and we can watch snippets of their day. I guess all that is supposed to compensate for a lack of other voyeuristic privileges."

Shooting Jen a frustrated look, Abby continued.  
"Come on. You must know all this. What were you doing during orientation?"

"I was trying to deal with my new death status. So sue me. I find it hard to believe that you picked everything up straight away when you got here. I remember your attention skills or lack thereof in class."

Abby giggled.

"Yeah, okay. Your gramps took pity on me and went over everything one word at a time."

Jen smiled gently.

"It's been wonderful seeing him again. We never really got to talk in his last years."

"Yeah…Jen, umm, navel lint alert." Abby stood, brushing a few leaves from her skirt.

"Look, I might head off. Just watching Dawson, Joey and Pacey sit through that episode of The Creek has left me so bored that I'm wishing I was deader than dead. I can't believe that someone is paying money for that show to go to air."

Jen shaded her eyes from the sun.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm just off to look in on some interesting people on earth. There's a woman over there that should have been my mother. We would have had a lot of fun."

"I don't even want to think about what your ideal mother would be like," Jen shook her head. "Anyone I know?"

"Hah, not likely. She lives in Orange County, a far more glamorous locale than Capeside. Julie Cooper-Nichols."

Though her eyes were watching Abby walk away, Jen's mind was on three of her dearest friends that she had left behind. In the last couple of hours, as she watched them in their outer and inner worlds, she had sensed an unease and even discontent in all of them. In her last week on earth she had been sure to give significant hints to Dawson, Joey and Pacey. Hints as to how she believed they could make their lives richer and the paths that each needed to take for real happiness. She hadn't wanted to be preachy but she had hoped that she had made her thoughts clear. Now three months later and with the benefit of a death view of earth she wasn't so sure.


	3. Chapter 3

Part Three

Dawson was still feeling the heady rush of adrenalin as he took the steps two at a time. An exultant chuckle escaped his throat and on reaching the ground floor he almost ran out the revolving lobby door. The receptionist looked up momentarily confused and then went back to his work with a smile.

Outside, Dawson leaned back against the granite wall of the building. Taking a deep breath, but with the same broad grin he took out his cell phone and pressed the familiar number combination.

"Jo, hey, it's me."

Of course he was going to call Joey. The instant he'd finished his meeting with Spielberg she was all he could think of. For the past five years Dawson had been steadily building walls around himself - all in the name of his career and following his dream. In reality, the distance that he had been keeping from his oldest friends and even family had been largely an act of self-preservation. Dawson, the idealist and dreamer did not want to be hurt. He wanted time out to avoid some of life's lows. With one of the biggest losses of his life, Jens' death, he was now realising that without life's lows, there were no highs either. The loss of their friend had brought back his friendship with Joey. He had almost forgotten how wonderful Joey, the reality, was in comparison to Sammy, the fictional and shadowy substitute.

"Dawson! I've been waiting for this call all day!"

He laughed happily. Hearing her voice always brought things into perspective.

"Just wanted to let you know that everything went really well. I didn't make a fool of myself and my clothes must have been at the very least presentable."

"Yeah, yeah…what is this, a fashion review! What did he want? What did he say?"

"Well, Jo. As I recall last night all you were mainly worried about were my clothes. I know I'm not a sophisticated New Yorker but…"

Joey's voice came threateningly over the line.

"Am I going to have to come over there and torture you to get you to give me some real information?"

Dawson instantly squashed the sudden desire that he had to dwell on the idea. He didn't really want to explore the pleasure that the hint of the thought had triggered. Not right now.

'Okay, I'll save you the airfare. Basically it was an invitation to work on a new project he's co-ordinating. It's a TV miniseries with overlapping stories, each story being directed by a young and relatively unknown talent. That is, people like yours truly."

Dawson laughed, holding the phone away from his ear as Joey squealed.

"The golden-god rocks again." He heard her pause and her tone change. "You know how incredibly proud I am and so pleased for you."

"I do Jo."

He did. He always had. It was her opinion that always mattered and why he felt invincible when she believed in him.

"Anyway, let's not make this all about me. How's your day been? Have you whittled down that pile of manuscripts yet?"

Mitch turned away as the image of his son avidly listening to his oldest friend gradually receded.

"Exciting isn't it."

He shifted, making room on the bench for the arrival of his companion.

"It's exciting, but not wholly unexpected. My son has always been a dreamer but the beauty of his dreams was the fact that he had the talent to back them up."

"Humph. So I guess he was always going to meet Spielberg."

Mitch nodded, "Eventually."

"Mr Leery, what you are apt to forget while wallowing in that enormous pride you have for your son is that the boy is still only 24. He may have considerable talent but Spielberg inviting him to work together so soon?"

"What are you saying Arthur?"

"Well, I may have meddled a little." Mr Brooks sat back on the bench and gave a somewhat smug smile to his companion.

"Arthur – spit it out."

"Okay, okay. A book laying here, chance encounters there, a close friend of Spielberg's who became a fan of Dawson's show. But you're right about one thing. I'm sure that a Leery and Spielberg collaboration was inevitable. I just had to speed it along."

"Ah, you know how I feel about messing with the ones still on earth."

"Yeah, well you'll be glad then that I didn't interfere and stop you buying that ridiculous ice cream on your last night over there.'

Mr Brooks' little barb restored Mitch's good humour.

"We both know that our powers extend only so far. You had no say in my demise. Anyway give me a good reason for this meddling."

"Well Mitch, I don't need to tell you that I care about that son of yours," Arthur's voice softened. "He hasn't been happy, truly happy for years. I was afraid that he was going to spend the rest of his life indulging in his Sammy and Colby dramas trying to iron out any real or imagined mistakes of the past, never tasting the reality that could be his."

"You make a good point."

"I make it as one who lived a life of solitude and regret. I didn't want Dawson to go down that same path. He still has a healthy dose of the idealist and optimist in him. Anyway," Mr Brooks looked curiously at Mitch. "You didn't look overjoyed by the news when I sat down. Something wrong?"

"Nothing really any different from your concerns. I was watching him talk to Joey. There is such a light in their eyes when they are together. I just wish they would have found their way back to each other by now."

"You know Mitch," Mr Brooks shot his friend a sly smile. "If you're willing to lower your principles for the common good, we could try to speed that along too."


	4. Chapter 4

Part Four

Joey was feeling out of sorts. She had been for over a week now. It was a Wednesday. The third one since The Creek had finished for the season. She missed closely watching each episode looking for any secret message that only she and Dawson shared. Not that Joey needed a vicarious link to him anymore. They were back in each other's lives now. She couldn't really blame the absence of a TV show for her general spirit of dissatisfaction.

What she needed was a chat with Dawson. She always felt better after one.

Dawson's personal assistant answered her call. She informed Joey that she was sorry but Mr Leery was at lunch, at which point Joey impulsively asked if Mr Leery was out with a Ms Crossdale. She was calling on a business related manner. Joey felt a tiny twinge of jealously on hearing that yes; Mr Leery was dining with a scriptwriter associated with the Spielberg project. Of course, the fascinating writer that Dawson had enthused about during their last conversation – an Amanda Crossdale. Would she like his cell number? No thanks, she had it already.

This new piece of information did nothing to improve Joey's overall mood. Yes, she acknowledged to herself, she did mind that Dawson was having lunch with a woman. A woman he already thought highly of and one he might be working closely with in the coming months. Worse still, she _didn't _mind that at this very moment Pacey could be laughingly telling Christy Livingstone she had beautiful eyes.

Bessie had called her yesterday. Her sister hadn't been able to resist a tiny jibe at Pacey who she claimed she had caught flirting with one of the Icehouse waitresses.

Pacey was a charmer; in an obvious, roguish, devilish kind of way. She was used to seeing the way he made other women smile, move their chairs a little closer and giggle a little too long at his jokes.

It was part of the Pacey package. His love of three chord rock and roll, his general disregard for the finer points of personal hygiene, the way he valiantly attempted interest in her work, his love of the unsophisticated, his contentment to live in Capeside and run the Icehouse. In these ways he was completely different to the ideal man that she'd describe on paper.

In all honesty, she wasn't upset at the possibility of Pacey being a little too friendly with another woman. She wasn't even upset that Bessie felt the need to point it out. She was unsettled because she just didn't really care. She didn't mind that he might be flirting with women. She didn't mind that he hadn't been able to make his usual mid-week visit to New York. She didn't mind that he had only made a half-hearted attempt to come to last week's launch of a book of short plays that she had edited.

Joey's eyes strayed to a photo of Pacey on her desk. She picked it up and ran a finger gently down the edge of the frame. She was once again at the senior prom hearing Pacey yell, _"But I want you to care! I want you to care! I don't want you to just accept it like that's the way it's supposed to be…_ _it just reminds me that I'm not good enough."_ Still feeling the hurt and recrimination of that night, she turned the photo face down on her desk. She couldn't look at Pacey's eyes. Not now. A lone tear trickled down her cheek.

"Its times like these that I just want to take her in my arms and tell her that everything is going to be alright." The woman reached out a hand, an attempt to connect with the already fading scene. "But you'd know that." She turned and shared a look of understanding with Jen who was sitting beside her. "Your little girl is growing more and more beautiful every day."

Jen gave a small smile.

"During those last weeks on earth, there were moments when the thought of being away from Amy for the rest of her life was so painful I used to catch my breath. But when I came here there was no real pain. Just wishful thinking and a sense of sorrow for those left behind."

"I know," Lillian Potter laughed gently. "You just feel so much for the people left trying desperately to figure their lives out. Over here things seem a lot clearer."

She paused and then took Jen's hands in her own. "I want to say thank-you for being such a good friend to Joey, especially at those crossroads in life that confused us all. She listened to you a great deal."

Jen frowned.

"When Joey told me that she'd stopped running and had made a decision with herself I was surprised but pleased too. I've got to say though; I hoped that didn't mean she was going to jump into a relationship with Pacey."

Lillian Potter took a moment to respond.

"You mightn't have realised it but my daughter is just as idealistic as Dawson Leery. Life has dealt her some harsh blows, but deep inside she believes in the fairy tale ending, white picket fence and all."

"I know. I've seen it too." Jen drew her legs up, hugging her knees. "So what happened?"

"When you asked her to make a decision you were on your death bed Jen. Joey was shocked and scared. She simply wanted to make you happy but she wasn't quite ready to stop running, and when you died she still didn't really make a decision. She didn't choose Pacey. She let Chris go and then Pacey told her he was he in love with her. He made it easy for her. She didn't have to choose, she just had to agree. Yes, she loves him. He is an old and very dear friend. He would do anything to protect her and help her. He was really the first boy to make her recognize that there were other men in the world besides Dawson. But a part of her has always known the truth. A truth that she's often been afraid of accepting but a truth that she's now on the verge of embracing – Dawson Leery is Josephine Potter's happy ending."


	5. Chapter 5

Part Five

Pacey slid the key into the lock, giving a knock on the inner wall of the apartment as he opened the door.

"It's me. Anyone home?"

"Hey, Pace."

He looked at Joey standing in the hall. Gone was the easy smile with which she normally greeted him. Instead her eyes were red-rimmed and she was nervously fidgeting with a crumpled Kleenex.

"Look, Jo I'm sorry I couldn't make it last week but we've been having issues with front of house and sourcing our dry goods and..."

He internally told himself to stop babbling. His heart was beating faster and he felt a change in the air between them. The conversation they were about to have was inevitable. He had known that for nearly a month now. It was the real reason he had avoided seeing her last week. He had stayed away as a last ditch effort to delay this moment. He had wanted to hang on to the imagined perfection of his world for a few days longer.

"It's not about that Pace. We need to talk."

He steadily regarded her as she nervously bit her bottom lip, dark hair loose and framing her pale face. God she was beautiful and she was his. No, that wasn't completely true. She had always kept a part of herself from him. Oh, she might deny it but he knew. There was a piece of her heart that was always going to be Dawson's. But he thought he'd been ready to settle for that. It soothed his sometimes fragile sense of self-worth to know that Joey Potter was with him. Josephine Potter, the soulmate and muse of his oldest friend and rival Dawson Leery had instead chosen the black sheep of Capeside, Pacey Witter.

"Yes we do."

There was a long and awkward pause between the two.

"Listen Jo, if it's about what Bessie thinks she saw the other week at the Icehouse I can explain. You see Christy had managed to get this twig from outside caught in her hair and…"

Joey sat down on the edge of the sofa and looked at her hands lying clenched on her lap.  
"It's not about that Pacey. Well, it is and it isn't."

Pacey dragged a chair out from the kitchen and sat astride it, facing Joey.

"You're going to have to be a bit clearer Potter."

As Joey lifted her eyes to meet his, Pacey's mind flashed to the day of Jen's funeral; the day that Joey had told him she loved him and wanted to stop running from him. He'd been surprised to say the least. He suspected that Jen's death had made her want to grab life and in that moment when he declared his love for her, he was the closest thing to reality. It had been an emotional time for all of them, to be reunited after long years with minimal contact and to then watch a childhood friend die. Joey had had it harder still. She had broken off a long-term relationship in the midst of it all and of course she had come face to face with Dawson again. He knew she had shared a lot of time with Dawson over that week in Capeside but he hadn't wanted to look insecure by asking her about it. He hadn't wanted to deal with what her answer could mean either.

Joey started to speak slowly, almost measuring the weight of each word.

"Pacey, I thought when I saw you again and you kissed me that I loved you in the way that you truly deserve. I thought I would ache for you when you weren't around. I thought that I'd be constantly trying to get you to move here. I thought I'd be mad at the chip crumbs that are always scattered through the house after you visit but then smile, sweep them up and miss you afresh. I thought I'd be annoyed hearing that you had your arms around another girl. And you know what?"

Pacey's voice was very low.

"What Jo?"

"I don't love you that way. I do love you but I love you too much to keep on loving you not enough. I am so sorry Pace."

The words stung but Pacey was surprised at the instant feeling of relief he felt on hearing them. He reached across and took Joey's hands in his.

"Oh, come on now. Don't go all soft on me Potter. You shouldn't be sorry. It took guts to say what you did. More guts than I have. You see I had a feeling this day was coming."

Pacey took a deep breath and continued.

"I thought I loved you in the kind of way where I would drop everything in Capeside and move to New York to be with you and that once I was here I would love you enough to sweep up those darn chip crumbs. I do love you Jo, but it's obviously not that kind of love either."

He shared Joey's half smile.

"When we were together in high-school your love governed everything about me from my mood to my dreams. My self-esteem was based almost purely on our relationship. When the magic died I felt worthless. I don't think it's like that anymore. Honestly Jo, I'm in a pretty good place in my life right now." Pacey gave a short laugh. "Well, apart from the romantic aspect."

Joey looked at him, her eyes moist.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I am doing what I love. I'm doing it well. The Icehouse is now even able to sponsor the soccer club that Jack coaches. All this in a town that can't get rid of me. In fact Capeside has embraced the no-good Witter kid. I've just found out that the Yacht Club would like me on the organizing committee for the regatta this year."

He felt the warmth of Joey's smile.

"I'm so happy for you Pacey."

"And I'm happy for me Jo. Jen reminded me that happiness was an inside job. I think I'm slowly getting that. I don't have to have you on my arm to feel alive. I don't have to be jealous when I look at where Dawson's career is going. I don't have to compare myself to anyone. Pacey Witter is okay with who he is."

The truth of the words hit him as he said them out loud.

Later on the train ride back to Capeside he was still marvelling at how a day where he had lost Joey Potter turned out to be the day that he found himself. He knew that it had been a moment of self-discovery for her as well. Maybe they had needed to be together for that short time to finally realise that they were always going to be better apart. He was going to miss her, but he had to acknowledge that the loss was more the illusion of what they shared, not the reality. The triangle was no longer.

He had noticed an open card amongst Joey's mail on the entry table and recognising the firm, forward strokes of Dawson's handwriting he couldn't help but read the inscription.

_Dear Joey,_

_I wish I had known earlier about the launch of your book of plays. I would have loved to be there and see you shine. Hope you enjoy the daisies. They reminded me of you; sweet, pure of heart and not at all persnickety. (Tongue firmly in cheek)_

_Always, Dawson_

It looked like Romeo and Juliet were going to get another shot.

Jen watched as Pacey got off the train. He was whistling and a familiar jaunt had returned to his step. She saw too Joey in her New York apartment, carefully cutting away a dead stem from a vase full of daisies, her distinctive crooked smile restored and a new light in her eyes.

"Bravo, you two. Bravo."


	6. Chapter 6

Part Six

Dawson was exhausted. He'd been busy over the past week finalising a number of issues with work so that he could take this short trip. On top of that the flight had been delayed for nearly an hour. Now he could barely keep his eyes open. The dull pain below his stomach that had been bothering him all evening was getting sharper too. He sighed in relief as the familiar lights of his childhood home appeared in the darkness.

"Dawson, I was starting to get a bit worried. Lilly couldn't wait up any longer."

He leaned into the love and warmth of his mother's welcoming hug as he stepped out of the car.

"Hey, let me look at you. Is it possible that you are even more handsome?"

"Mom," Dawson rolled his eyes, smiling weakly.

"Honey what's wrong? Are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick."

"I'm just really tired. I'll grab my stuff out of the car in the morning."

"John can get it for you. You'd better come straight in."

Dawson didn't even make it onto the porch. At the base of the stairs he suddenly bent over double, was violently ill and then collapsed.

Mitch turned away from the image, and shot a worried look at Arthur Brooks. "I've got to say Arthur. I sure hope we know what we're doing."

Arthur remained unconcerned.

"Mr Leery, you're constant pacing is very unsettling. Relax. Everything's going to be alright."

Mitch nodded, if a little unconvincingly, in agreement.

The shrill ringing was an unwelcome intrusion into the morning quiet. Rudely awoken from that pleasant place somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, Joey rolled over and automatically reached for the cell phone on her nightstand. She silently cursed as her sudden movement sent a pile of books onto the floor.

"Joey speaking."

She didn't even try to keep the annoyance out of her voice. It was a Saturday morning. This call had better be good.

"Hello Joey, its Gail here. I'm sorry to wake you so early. I got your number from Dawson's phone and…"

On hearing Dawson's name, Joey was instantly alert and receptive.

"Gail, hi…Is something wrong?"

She heard Gail's voice break with emotion.

"Dawson was rushed to the hospital here last night with acute appendicitis. It was touch and go for a while, if it'd been even an hour later they don't know if he would have made it. He came out of surgery early this morning."

In that moment Joey's world stopped turning. She caught her breath and her next words were forced out of a suddenly dry throat.

"Is he…Is he going to be okay?"

"Oh yes honey. The operation went well and they expect him to make a pretty speedy recovery. It's just been a huge shock more than anything."

"Of course. Listen, I'm on my way."

"Could you come? I understand if you got things planned this weekend but it would mean a lot to me and obviously Dawson. He's still a bit out of it but he was asking for you."

"Gail please. I'll just throw a few things together and I'll call before I get to Capeside."

"Thanks so much Joey. I'll see you soon."

As Joey flipped the phone shut her mind was reeling. Dawson was her constant. The one thing in her life that she had always known she could count on. The thought of him nearly dying was still so foreign and almost ridiculous that she instantly put it out of her head. Instead all she could think was that Dawson was in Capeside. Why and why hadn't he told her he was coming?


	7. Chapter 7

Part Seven

It was the smell that made him open his eyes, crisp and fresh with a hint of jasmine. It seemed stronger in this room, a stark contrast to the general sterile and almost industrial odour. It took a moment for him to adjust to the light but when he was able to focus on her, she filled his senses – her smell, the sight of her, her touch as she gently covered his hand with her own and then her voice, soft and somehow very young and vulnerable.

"Hey there."

"Am I dreaming?"

Joey laughed then and he saw her wipe her eyes with the back of her hand.

"No, I'm real. You've had us all very worried."

"So I heard."

He gingerly pulled himself up a little higher on the bed.

"Thanks for coming Jo. Have you been here long?"

"Just this afternoon."

He watched her, simply drinking in her presence. God, he loved her. He always had. He thought he had been able to lessen the hold she had on him by withdrawing into the world of make believe but even there she found him in the lines of Sammy and Colby. Since Jen's death he had allowed himself to open up to the possibility of fully loving her again, to risk the pain and hurt all over. He had felt for Joey when he'd heard that she and Pacey were finished, but for the most part he was nervously excited at would that could potentially mean for him and his ultimate dream.

He could tell that Joey was a little unnerved by his gaze when she immediately filled the silence.

"I thought that when we next saw each other I'd be at least able to give you a hug," she said.

"I don't think a little one would hurt."

He waited for her, his eyebrows lifted in a teasing smile.

He was incredibly pleased to see the faint blush that flooded her cheeks before she leant into him, carefully placing one arm around his shoulders.

Dawson tried to ignore the soft swell of her breast as it momentarily rested against his cheek but he still gave an involuntary quiver at her embrace.

"Oh, I've hurt you."

Joey immediately stepped back.

She was nervous. Hospitals had always made her so. She had spent too much time in them, waiting for those close to her to die, her mom…and Jen.

"I'm okay. I'm going to be okay." Dawson said gently.

She saw then that he had guessed her thoughts and felt her fear.

Joey nodded slowly.

"Yeah, your mom said."

"So," she continued with a tentative smile. "Capeside Hospital must have some pretty amazing doctors for you to have been rushed all the way back here from LA."

Dawson starting to laugh but immediately winced and stopped.

"Alright. I didn't tell you I was coming because I wanted it to be a surprise and I wasn't even sure I'd be able to make it till a couple of days ago."

"So you're telling me you came back for something other than the removal of your appendix."

"Yeah, that was an umm….unforseen bonus," Dawson grinned. "I'm here because I really wanted to see Lilly in her first school play tomorrow night. Looks like I'm not going to make it now."

Joey swallowed her disappointment. When she had told Dawson a month ago that she was no longer with Pacey he'd been the most wonderful and supportive friend. He had said all the right things, hadn't pried too deeply. But she desperately wanted more. In the midst of her anxiety and fear about his health a part of her was hoping that he had returned to Capeside on his way to her.

Dawson saw her eyes fall. His heart skipped a beat. She wanted more. She had wanted him to be coming to her.

"I was going to come and see you in New York the minute that play finished," he said softly.

Joey slowly lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Yeah?"

"Of course. I had a proposal for you. Still do actually."

Joey frowned.

"A proposal?"

"Okay, Jo. You'd better pull up a chair."

Joey reached behind her, dragging the hard-backed chair close to Dawson' bedside and then sat down.

"You remember me telling you about Amanda Crossdale?" Dawson continued.

Joey nodded slowly, determined not to question where Dawson was headed with this conversation.

"Yes, the writer who's been working with you going over the script for your miniseries with Spielberg."

"One and the same. Well, her mother was involved in a pretty bad car accident and so she has decided to leave the project and move back to Ohio until she has recovered fully. While we have the bulk of the script ironed out, we are going to still need someone on the ground to help facilitate and overlook the coordination of the overlapping stories purely from a script point of view."

Joey's resolve not to interrupt crumbled.

"So Dawson, what's this got to do with me?"

Dawson chuckled enjoying her impatience.

"Jo, did I mention that I've organised things with The Creek so that I will not have to be so nearly hands on next season? That Spielberg has decided to base production in the city where the miniseries is set? That this city is New York? That after I read that book of plays you edited, I knew I had the perfect replacement for Amanda?"

Joey's eyes had been growing wider with each new piece of information and she now sat with her mouth in a silent "oh."

"I know it's a big ask and that you already have a job that keeps you busy. But I remember you telling me that week Jen died that you weren't exactly loving what you were doing and you were tired of editing work that had no real literary worth. This script is really good Jo and it's a change for you and we work so well together…"

"Dawson, we haven't worked together for years. I might have turned into an impossible drama queen since then." Joey taunted a little. In all honesty she was excited and her mind was racing with the prospect. Working with and being near Dawson on a regular basis was all the incentive she really needed but she was also thrilled with the possibility of exploring other avenues for her writing. She might not even have to quit her job if she didn't want to. She was sure she could negotiate a more flexible working arrangement.

Dawson leaned back against the pillow.

"Hey, weren't you always a little bit of a drama queen?"

"Luckily for you, I'm going to chalk that dig up to the painkillers."

He gave a small smile in response.

"I can see you're tired," Joey said as she stood up. "I'm sure your doctor wouldn't be too pleased with you talking business on your recovery bed. I might go now."

Dawson nodded.

"Think about it Jo. I'll call in a couple of days when I'm out of here."

"You won't have to Dawson. I'm not leaving Capeside just yet. I'll be back to se you in the morning."

Dawson continued staring at the back of the door long after Joey had closed it behind her. In her eyes he had read all that he wanted. Joey loved him. In the months since Jen had died he had felt her slowly coming back to him day by day. Hearing that she had finished things with Pacey was a big step closer. He knew he could possibly hurry things along by revealing to her the nature and depth of his feelings but Dawson Leery had always been a believer in the old adage "If you love someone set them free. If they don't return they were never yours to begin with." In many ways he was still the same boy who'd told Pacey in high-school to let Andie McPhee go. "_I think you should let her go. I really do. I mean, don't just pay lip service. Just let her go. That's the only way to get someone back to you."_ He could wait a little longer until Joey came to him and told him her heart.


	8. Chapter 8

Part Eight

Joey could immediately see that Dawson had slept much better than she had. The head of the bed was raised and he was propped up on a couple of pillows flicking through the local paper. Much of the colour had returned to his skin and his hair was a little damp as though he'd just showered. She on the other hand, had spent a restless night on a hastily made sofa-bed at the B&B fighting her fears and past regrets. Bessie hugged her a little longer than usual at breakfast and gave her an encouraging and knowing smile as she left the house. Joey had come this morning determined to tell Dawson once and for all what was on her heart, what had always been there.

Dawson looked up as she entered the room, his face brightening as he folded the paper.  
"Hi Jo. You missed mom and Lilly by five minutes." He chuckled, "She's so excited about tonight."

"That I don't understand. Ugh, I remember how much I hated acting."

"I know. You were always very self-conscious."

"What about you rain-man?" Joey retorted. "You sometimes got so obsessed with how a line should be delivered that you'd repeat it again and again till you got it perfect."

They both laughed.

"Well that would explain why we often both ended up with behind the scenes jobs."

Joey looked around the room. "Where's the chair gone?"

Dawson frowned. "I don't know. It mysteriously vanished during the night. You know hospital furniture. It all seems to have a mind of its own. You can sit here next to me. I promise I won't bite." His eyes twinkled at her.

Joey rolled her eyes and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Hah, I know I'm safe. Your stomach's still too sore for you to lean over this far."

"I'm feeling a lot better Jo, you've been warned."

"Ooh, I'm scared", she laughed a little, poking out her tongue at him, relaxing into the easy and flirtatious banter.

"So, what do you think?" Dawson suddenly asked, breaking the moment.

Joey instantly read his train of thought. "About working with you on this new project?"

"I'm sorry I've got to say that..." she paused and looked at Dawson soberly, "…it looks like you're going to be seeing a lot of me in the next few months. I'd love to be involved." She finished in a rush, giggling as Dawson's face went from disappointment to relief and then to mock anger.

"Josephine Potter! You sure?"

Joey lifted her chin and gave Dawson a little grin. "Well to truly cement this deal you're going to have to offer me a pretty good package. You know with me being the drama queen and all."

Dawson laughed softly.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to let that little joke go so easily."

He leaned back against the pillow, arm curled under his head ready to play along. "Okay, so I imagine you're a tough negotiator. What exactly do you want Ms Potter?"  
Joey was at one of those moments in life where you stand on the edge. On the other side is everything you've ever wanted. You can see it and you can almost touch it. But to get it you've got to jump. And if you jump you could fall. But if you don't jump you'll never have it. And you'll never know the joy of the other side.

Joey took a deep breath and…jumped.

"You."

The single word held more courage and truth than any other in their past history of tortured angst. Both knew it and felt the significance of this moment. They weren't teasingly negotiating a work project anymore; they were laying the foundation of their future.

"You told me that what we have goes beyond friendship, beyond lovers, but I'm going to be greedy here and tell you that I want more. Dawson, I want you, the soulmate; I want you, the friend, I want you…" Joey's voice was so low that it was barely a whisper, "….the lover. You're my everything. I…"

Dawson leaned forward, gently placing a finger on her lips.

He could feel their softness and behind them the warmth of her breath, light and rapid. He could see himself reflected in Joey's eyes, could see himself drowning in their depths. But he didn't want to be rescued. Not when he was so close to home.

Dawson reached for her, cupping her face that was already straining forward to meet his.

"No more words Jo. Right now I have a better plan for that beautiful mouth of yours."

He lowered his face to hers. Their lips met….their lips danced….their lips parted.

Dawson Leery couldn't feel his body and he hadn't even had his pain medication. He was in that heady place that is the fulfilled dream. Josephine Potter had returned. She was his. And he was hers. Always.

The small group watched as the image wavered, glowed briefly and then gradually faded into the sky.

"When did Dawson get so hot?" Abby whispered.

"Sshh," hissed Jen.

Mitch cleared his throat. "Well let's just hope that they remember that no glove, no hat, and no that's not quite…"

"You mean no glove, no love."

"Yes,that's it. Thanks."

"Anytime Mr Leery," giggled Abby.

"I hardly think they're going to go at it while Dawson's lying in hospital," laughed Jen.

"My son is a Leery, Jen. Let's not forget that."

'Well, it's taken quite a while to get to this point but it looks like those two have finally got it right. I think my girl is going to be very happy," smiled Lillian.

"Yes, well you can thank us for that," said Arthur.

"That's right," nodded Mitch. "Who knows how long it would have taken otherwise."

"You to thank?" questioned Lillian. "Let's see. I made sure Christy Livingstone got a twig in her hair and that Bessie was walking past just in time to see Pacey help her get it out. Then there was Amanda Crossdale, Dawson's scriptwriter. She was someone who would make Joey jealous. There you go. Two key points that helped Joey realise she wasn't really in love with Pacey. Oh and of course that final touch of the missing hospital chair. It was much nicer having Joey sit on Dawson's bed and I think it helped that kiss along."

"What do you mean?" asked Jen with a frown.

Her question was ignored.

"Hah," snorted Arthur, "the work of a greenhorn. Mitch and I put our two heads together and have been quite busy ourselves. Shall we enlighten them Mr Leery? Show how it's really done?"

Mitch gave a little bow to Arthur and sat down.

"Take it away Mr Brooks."

"Alright, Mrs Potter. Let's start with your Ms Crossdale. It was very unfortunate that her mother had that accident but it got her out of the way and gave an opportunity for your daughter to work with Dawson."

Jen looked horrified and Lillian's jaw dropped.

"I don't think that…"

Arthur held up one hand.

"Not quite finished yet. There was also the incident with Dawson's appendix."

Lillian continued to look appalled.

"Arthur he could have died!"

"Piffle," snorted Arthur, "you know we can only go so far. We just needed Joey to rush to Dawson's side. It was a wonderful, dramatic life and death moment; very cinematic."

"Wow," said Abby in admiration. "For an old geezer you're pretty hard core."

Lillian slowly shook her head.

"Men, subtle as a herd of wild elephants. I hope you fix things for poor Mrs Crossdale."

Mitch had the decency to look a little ashamed.

"Of course. It really wasn't as serious an injury as everyone thought. The doctors are amazed too at how quickly she's mending."

"Is anyone feeling a bit for Pacey?" he suddenly asked.

"He'll be alright," said Lillian confidently. "He's surrounded by family, he's near Jack. He's got the Icehouse, the regatta's coming up. And I know any wounds left between him and Dawson and Joey will be mended. I think it will be good for him to live life on his own for awhile."

"I know," said Arthur. "But like Mitch, I'm a bit of a softie for a good romance."

"I wouldn't be worried about Pacey."

They all looked up at the tall, athletic young man that had joined them. Jen looked at him the most intently and then her face broke into a hesitant smile of recognition.

"Tim…McPhee?"

"Hey, there. Just wanted to you know that my sister Andie will be finishing her psychiatry residency next year and with mom and Jack still in the Capeside area I'm sure we won't have to work too hard to make sure that she sets up practice there. I don't think Pacey will be lonely for too long."

"Excuse me!" Jen yelled above the general hum of conversation and introductions.

There was an instant quiet.

"Are you telling me that you interfered in Dawson and Joey's lives, and the lives of a number of people around them so they would get together? That even now you're all plotting a similar result for Pacey and Andie?"

"Jen," said Lillian gently. "We can get involved up to a certain extent. We can't really change the outcome of major events but we meddle with say their timing and location."

"We can meddle! Jen asked incredulously.

"It's best not to do it too often. It's a last resort kind of thing."

"Well," muttered Arthur. "I tend to dabble in it a little. It really is like being the ultimate director."

"I'm with you there Mr Brooks."

Abby shared a conspiratorial grin with Arthur.

"You've meddled too?" Jen shot a look at Abby.

"God, Jen you're sounding like a very uptight and broken record," Abby rolled her eyes. "Of course I stick my nose into people's lives. It's a major boredom buster. Weren't you just a little surprised to see Drue Valentine in Capeside?"

"You! That was you!"

Abby gave a smug smile.

"I call that my finest hour."


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue

She rubbed her lips together carefully blotting the lipstick. The shade was very similar to Bessie's old favourite "wicked red" that she'd lent to Joey through high-school. The memory of that first night with Jen, Dawson and Pacey at the Rialto made her give a bittersweet smile at the reflection of herself in the mirror.

Dawson would be at her door any minute. They hadn't seen each other since those wonderful few days in Capeside they'd shared while he spent time recovering. She'd had to return to work and he'd had some time with his family before flying back to LA to finalise things in preparation for his relocation to New York.

Dawson had barely finished his second knock before Joey opened the door, flying into his arms.

He allowed himself a moment to savour the embrace and then laughingly pulled a bunch of now somewhat wilted daisies from between them.

"So I thought - chocolates, diamonds, convertibles - but I settled for foliage."

Joey smiled knowingly.

"Foliage is good."

"You look so beautiful Jo. You're going to outshine everyone there tonight."

Joey raised her eyebrows.

"Even Spielberg?"

"I don't know if I'm going to hear a word he says. You might have to give a kick under the table if he talks to me and I'm just sitting and staring at you."

Joey rolled her eyes but he could tell that she was pleased with his simple compliment.

"So how much time before we have to leave?"

Dawson looked at his watch.

"About forty-five minutes."

"Well," Joey ginned wickedly, "You're pretty much guaranteed a kiss at the end of the night. Do you want to just fast forward to the "going at it like porn stars" part of the evening?"

Dawson laughed kicking the door shut behind him. His voice was low and thick with emotion as he pulled Joey into him, nuzzling her neck.  
"I think I can handle that."

"Dawson," Joey weakly murmured. "Tonight's a pretty big deal. I know I don't want to be late."

"Ah, Joey," Dawson whispered against her throat, "Spielberg can wait."


End file.
